Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken Bits

2 pounds skinned, de-boned chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

A little fresh ground black pepper, ground ginger and garlic powder to season flour (not a lot)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Vegetable oil

Vegetables

1 orange bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch square bits

1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch square bits

1 large yellow onion, skinned, root end removed, cut into 1/2-inch bits

2 medium carrots, peeled and trimed, slice thinly on the diagonal

1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners)

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 - 6 drops red food coloring

2 rounded tablespoons corn starch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry

Directions:

Chicken Bits

When cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, remove any fat, gristle or connective tissue. If the chicken is soft-frozen or almost thawed it is easier to cut.

In small frying pan, add 1/2-inch vegetable oil. Heat to deep-frying temperature.

In a bowl mix eggs and milk. Beat until well combined. Place flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl and mix.

Dunk pieces of chicken in the egg and milk mixture. Allow excess to drain.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour coating thoroughly. Here is your chance to practice with your chop sticks and keep the flour off from your fingers.

Drop pieces into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown. Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides. When golden brown, remove to paper towel covered plate to drain. Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked. Set aside until assembly.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Place pineapple and water in sauce pan. Heat over low flame. Slowly add sugar while stirring.

When sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and the lemon juice while stirring.

Add corn starch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil.

Stir constantly until thickened. Add food coloring (a couple drops at first and then adjust until you have the red color you like) and stir well to mix. Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.

Note: You will be judging the thickness of the sauce while it is hot. It will thicken considerably when it is set aside and cools. Later, when added to the vegetables, the moisture from the vegetables will thin the sauce quite a bit.

Assembling Completed Dish

Add a little vegetable oil to a large frying pan or wok. Bring to frying temperature over medium heat. Add vegetables (but not the pineapple) and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to caramelize.

Add sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetable are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.

Add pineapple and chicken bits and fold into the vegetables and sauce. Simmer until heated through. Serve.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients:

6 cups Rice Krispies

1 bag (10.5-oz) miniature marshmallows

¼ cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 bag (12-oz) miniature peanut butter cups (about 40), quartered

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or 6 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped)

Directions:

Butter a 9×13-inch pan and set aside.

Measure the cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Melt the marshmallows and butter together in a medium saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave for about 3 minutes, but keep watch so the marshmallows don’t puff over the sides of the bowl!). Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the cereal and mix well so the cereal is coated. Pour into the prepared pan and use a buttered piece of wax paper to press evenly into pan.

In the microwave, melt the peanut butter until thin, about 1 minute. Gently stir in the quartered peanut butter cups and then pour over the treats. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread the peanut butter mixture evenly across the top.

Again in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate across the top. Place the pan in the refrigerator to set before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1 cup chicken stock (boiling)

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion (diced)

8 ounces mushrooms (sliced, I used a mix of cremini, shiitake and oyster)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 teaspoon thyme (chopped)

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable, warm)

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)

1 handful parsley (optional)

Directions:

Cover the dried porcini mushrooms in the stock and let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the fresh mushrooms and saute until they turn tender and release their moisture, about 10-15 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.  By this time the dried mushrooms should be nice and soft so remove them from the stock, squeezing to drain and reserve all of the liquid.

Chop the reconstituted mushrooms and add them to the sauce pan.

Add the rice and toast until it starts to turn translucent, about 1-3 minutes.

Add the white wine, deglaze the bottom of the pan and cook while stirring until the wine has disappeared.  Mix the stock that the mushrooms were soaked in with another cup of stock and add it to the sauce pan 1/2 cup at a time while stirring until it has disappeared.

Add the butter and parmigiano reggiano and stir until it has melted.

Season with salt and pepper and a touch of truffle oil.

Serve garnished with parsley.

Mushroom Croque-Monsieur

Ingredients:

Mornay sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Hot pepper sauce

Sandwiches

1 8-ounce package crimini (baby bella) or button mushrooms, trimmed

7 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided

2 tablespoons minced shallot

12 1/3-inch-thick slices egg bread

6 thin ham slices

12 ounces Gruyère cheese; 9 ounces thinly sliced, 3 ounces grated

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

Directions:

Mornay sauce

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Add bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high; whisk until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium; stir until sauce coats back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and nutmeg. Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Sandwiches

Place mushrooms in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely chopped. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallot; stir until mushrooms are browned and dry, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate to cool.

Preheat broiler. Spread remaining butter over 1 side of bread slices. Place bread, buttered side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden, watching closely and rotating sheet halfway through broiling, about 3 minutes. Cool bread. Preheat oven to 450°F. Turn 6 bread slices over; top with ham and sliced cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, broiled side up. Press to compress. Spread about 2 tablespoons sauce over sandwiches, leaving 1/3-inch plain border. Divide mushroom mixture atop sauce. Sprinkle with grated Gruyère and Parmesan.

Bake sandwiches until cheese inside melts and cheese on top turns golden, about 10 minutes. Top with tarragon, if desired.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Tart with Caramel Drizzle

Ingredients:

2 cups broken salted pretzel sticks

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/8 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter—6 tablespoons melted and cooled, 3 tablespoons softened and 2 tablespoons chilled

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Using a food processor, finely grind the pretzels, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the melted butter. Press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake until light brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and softened butter at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form, then fold into the peanut butter mixture. Evenly spread the peanut butter mixture in the tart shell. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

In a small, heavy skillet, bring the granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a wet pastry brush). Boil without stirring, but swirling the pan occasionally, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the chilled butter, the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer the caramel to a bowl and let cool completely. Rewarm gently before drizzling over the sliced tart; serve the remainder on the side.

Oatmeal Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour (I usually use half all-purpose, half whole wheat)

1/2 cup oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

a handful of raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla with a potato masher – don’t worry about getting all the lumps out. It will look sort of cottage-cheesy.

Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir until almost combined; add raisins and stir just until blended. Spread into an 8”x4” loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 50 minutes, until golden and cracked on top and springy to the touch.

English Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter (melted)

1 cup hot water

1 envelope dry active yeast

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

corn meal

Directions:

Combine the powdered milk, sugar, salt, butter and water and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Combine the yeast, sugar and water in another bowl and let sit until frothy.

Combine the mixtures and mix in the flour.

Cover and let sit in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Mix in the salt and baking soda.

Place the 3 inch metal rings on a pan heated to medium-low.

Sprinkle some cornmeal into each ring and then place 1/4 cup of the batter into each one.

Cover and cook until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes.

Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal, flip the rings using tongs and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 5-6 minutes.

Repeat until you have cooked them all.

Tips: You could use cookie cutters, tuna cans or mini spring form pans that are about 3 inches instead of getting dedicated English muffin rings.